Yahoo Sports Manager: Winning is hard but this team has the right mentality
Brendan Rodgers stated before last Sunday’s League Cup final that the most important thing on such occasions is ensuring that you're on the winner’s podium come the end of the match.
His Celtic team did that yet again, delivering a well-deserved victory over Rangers to lift the trophy, and the Celtic manager praised his players for the mentality they have shown, not only in winning that game, but in how they train and play every day.
And he also explained that while the squad were given a couple of days to savour their latest success, once they reported back for training on Wednesday, the focus has been on preparing well for this Sunday’s league game against Dundee United at Tannadice.
Speaking at Lennoxtown today, Brendan Rodgers said: “When you win an epic game like that, it’s a great feeling. The players did so well and it was a nice feel for them and for everyone.
'I think that celebrating victories at the right moment and at the right time is very important, otherwise why do you do it?'
“So it was so important, especially with the free week and playing on the Sunday we could do that. We gave them a couple of days just to recover physically and mentally, and enjoy the victory, and then we’ve been hard at work from there.
“Winning is hard, although it’s sometimes made to feel probably here that it’s something easy. It’s not an easy thing to do and it’s certainly not an easy thing to do repetitively – what this team has done.
“If you think over this calendar year, this team has only lost twice – once when we went down to 10 men and then a Borussia Dortmund game against the Champions League finalists where we were outclassed on the night.
“But the mental strength and the mentality, and the consistency show that what this team have done – I think the supporters recognise that, which is the most important thing.”
And the Celtic manager also admitted that he has paid little attention to any post-match noise following the Hampden final.
“I’ve only seen little bits of it, if I’m being totally honest, because I’ve been doing other things, but it doesn’t surprise me,” he said.
“I’ve been involved in 20 (derby) games now and there’s always a narrative of something after the game, whether someone should have been sent off or not, or whether it was a goal or not, or whether it was a penalty or not – even when the penalty’s offside! So all these things get thrown into the mix.
“So I don’t really think a lot of it, to be honest. It’s there, it’s a talking point. My only interest was for us to come out of Hampden with the trophy.”
If the Celtic players have quickly put to one side their latest triumph as they now focus on the next challenge in front of them, the manager and the club are also planning ahead, not only for the imminent January transfer window but beyond that as well.
This involved a midweek trip to Dublin for a meeting with Dermot Desmond.
And the manager praised the backing he receives from the club’s major shareholder, citing his passion for Celtic and commitment to the club as a key factor in the sustained level of success the club has enjoyed for many years now.
“We’ve said before that you don’t wait for the future to plan for it, and it has been the great aspect here that we have a board and a major shareholder who are so invested in the club and the success of the club, and how they lead the club,” Brendan Rodgers explained.
“You only need to look over the past couple of decades how the club is run and organised, which is at the very highest level of any business, how it can be. But there’s also a real passion for the team clearly to do well, so it’s so important.
“There’s always that great level of intelligence on our board, and expertise and experience, and that’s what we try to use to the best of our advantage.
'So, for us, it’s always about planning and looking forward, and obviously the key people within that talking about it is important.'
“Dermot’s passion, his energy and enthusiasm for Celtic is unswerving, and his commitment to the club is incredible.
“I know, from having working here twice, the passion and the love he has for Celtic. He’s so unswerving in his commitment for Celtic and everything he gives to it.
“And obviously the support I’ve had from him over my two spells has been absolutely incredible, so it was nice to get together with him and spend some hours looking at where we’re at and how we go forward in January and beyond.”
Watch the manager’s full press conference
Celebrating the League Cup final victory
Planning for the future
Club’s strengths on and off the park
Greg Taylor update
Dundee United game
Squad’s winning mentality throughout 2024
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